Means for thawing frosted fire-hydrants, water-mains, and the like.



M. v. FARRELL & H. L. MAIERI MEANS FOR THAWING FROSTED FIRE HYDRANTS, WATER MAINS, AND -THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8, I918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

ms NORRIS PETERS c0. n/mm-uwa. wunmzww, n. c. 7

' TED TATE PAT o.

MARTIN V. FARRELL AND HARRY L. MAIER, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

MEANS JEOR THAWING FROSTEID FIRE-HYDBANTS, WATER-MAINS, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented m. is, 1919.

Application filed June 8, 1918. Serial No. 239,001.

means for thawing out hydrants or con duits of this character when the same be come frozen. i

Among other features, the invention comprehends primarily a means arranged in juxtaposition to a fire hydrant or the like, whereby a quantity of steam from some suitable source of supply as, for instance,

from a steamer fire engine, can be injectedinto the frost casing or casing of the hydrant, to thaw out the same, or the. exhaust gases from an automobile engine may be similarly employed.

Although we are aware that heat has been used heretofore to thaw out fire hydrants and service pipes and the like, in the maj ority of these cases the method employed is to supply a coil of pipe around or ad acent to the hydrant, and then have a quantity of hot water or heat passed through the pipe to thaw out the hydrant by radiation. This is a method we have found to be slow and cumbersome, and therefore we employ a structure whereby the steam is brought directly into contact with the part to be thawed out, so as to accomplish the result quickly and efiectively.

In the further disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a hydrant with the frost casing shown in section, with our invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a slightly modified form of our device, as applied to a modified form of hydrant, and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line H in Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the views, 10 indicates a fire hydrant of any standard or improved type, and 11 the ground level, the hydrant extending into the ground, as shown, with a casing 12, encircling the lower part of the hydrantin the ground below the ground level and which casing is usually jtermed the frost casing. A valve mecha- ;nism 13 of the hydrant and valve 1 1 are of course arranged to lie within the frost casing, and in fact, within the hydrant body, and it will be seen that between the frost casing andthe hydrant body there is considerable space. We employ a main pipe 15, which projects upwardly from the ground level and is normally closed by a suitable cap 16, said pipe 15 extending downwardly within the frost casing, and having a circular branch pipe 17 encircling the hydrant within the frost casing. From this circular pipe there are provided a series of depending branch pipes 18' which might be termed auxiliary pipes, the pipe 15 as well as the auxiliary pipes 18 extending downwardly toward the lower end of the frost casing, and of course adjacent to the hydrant body, with an additional auxiliary pipe 19 of circular configuration, encircling the valve 1 1 of the hydrant'and connected to the main pipe 15. All of the pipes men tioned are perforated as indicated by the numeral 20, and we also provide an exhaust pipe 21, which extends from the lower end of the frost casing upwardly to a point slightly above the ground level, said pipe 21 being normally closed by a cap 22, and also provided with perforations 23.

Now in the operation of our device, when a fire occurs in the winter and the chances are that the fire hydrant to which the fire apparatus desires to connect, is frozen up,

the steamer of the fire apparatus can connect a hose or couple up in some manner from the boiler of the steamer to the pipe 15, after the cap 16 has been removed, and then a quantity of steam under pressure can be forced into the pipes 15, 18 and 19, causing the steam to spurt in jets through the perforations or holes in the pipes, and come in the main '32; The -pipe- 29 is -th'e inlet pipe direct contact With the fire hydrant body, to

thaw. out; any frozen condition; yvithin the 7 body, or at theva-lve or Within the frosteas Fire hydrants as a genera1 ,rule,h&ve,

inm di n i O W t rin t e, w sa ngtth bottom thereof, and aside from thawing out y; froz n on i Wi h n. w eeh dra-nt our arrangement will thaw out any frozen condition in the frost easing, because r the steam fromthe pipes will come indirect contact With the hydrantb'ody', and Will fill the frost casing with hot live steam. By roviding an I exhaust pipe, the steam inected into the casing will when itl comes under ressure-by {the amount that is injected t erein,-pass out through; the exhaust pipe'to the surface, and thus it 'wilLbe seen *that in a very short space of 'time after ;the 1 fire apparatus reaches the hydra-nathehy-xir drant can be made serviceableand placed in f} condition for use. 7'

In Figs, 3 and 4 We show a --s lightly inodi- I fied form of our invention,- and in. which instancethe hydrant body isi-ndicated by tion of the hydrant'body andcasing 26-Wltl1 and thepipe 27 is the outletpipe, and it will beseen that-whensteam is injected into the inlet pipe 29 it Will fill the casing 26 and v thavv out any frozen ,condition at. the base of the hydrant, and the steam can pass out through the pipe 27.

As mentionedehelfe fifore, our object is attamed byhavin'g thesteam' come in direct contact;"w th the frozen conditlong and We have found that" this method is far superior to any form of radiation methods used heretofore,' it being very important to obtain results iin-itheifihortest possible space of time, especially in cases of a fire where a fire hydrant is to-betpl'acediin use.

A means for'ithawingirostedsfi'rehydrants or conduitslhaving a part .thereof-proj ecting beyond the level of the ground, andanother part"- thereof i extendin 'into'- the ground, comprising incomhinatmn withithe'lvalve of athehydrantand a "ca sing. encircling-the *body of the hydrant below the level of the ground, a steam inlet pipe having its inlet end; above, the level of the ground :and adjacent to that e-portion 0t the hydrant above the leveliofi the ground and. having outlet into said casing, an outlet .pipehaving its open inner end in said casing, said outletupipe extending; =from the casing to a point above theileveliofqthe groundand. adjacent theexter-nal portion of I the hydrant body to provide an exterion out- 11et, and: a valve-encircling supplementary ipipe connected. to: the. firs-hmentioned pipe andscloselyencircling the valve ofthe hy- :drant body adjacent thecasingthereof.

In testimony.- whereof Wef-alfiXOllI signatures.

JMARTIN V'. FARRELL.

HARRY L; .MAIER.

- .Gopiesotthis patent may be obtaind 01 five cents:each-,i,by addressingthe Commissioner-of Patents, liwashington, Bic." 

